The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-09-27

these increased facilities. They are encour-
aged IN this stand by the colored clergymen
and the colored member of the Board of
Education (Mr. Lemore).
The board, however, which is strongly
Republican, has, with the exception of Mr..
Lahore. sternly resisted this and instructed
the superintendent and teachers of the diff
ferent schools to exclude the colored chill,
dren should they attempt to enter. On the
opening day last week delegations of col
ored children, accompanied by adult repre-
sentatives, appeared in considerable num-
bers at four of the school houses and de-
manded admission. This was refused them
in each case At the MAYHEM school, in the
eastern part of the city, the colored chill
dren marched m fifty strong and took pos
session of the room. The white children
Immediately withdrew and the teacher
abandoned the school for the day. The
same thing occurred the second day, but
the teacher gathered around him the few
whites who remained and heard their les
sons, absolutely refusing to instruct the col
ored children, but permitting them to re
main upon condition that they did not
create any disturbance.
At the Wilson street school little girl
attended the first day. Her name is Geor-
giana Reeves. She is so near white that the
principal did not know she was of negro
:
was informed of the fact, and she was ac-
cordingly excluded.
The colored people determined to make a
test of the Georgiana Reeves case and
carried it into the District Court, petition
and affidavit setting forth these facts being
presented to the court, and an alternative
writ of mandamus was issued and served
upon the Board of Education and the prin-
cipal of the city schools, directing them to
al, ~ -, l..
or appear yesterday, Sept. 81, and show
cause why peremptory writ should not
issue.
The application was called in court at Fort
Scott yesterday, the school board being
represented by prominent lawyers. The
arguments were made by Eugene Ware and
Mr.. West and we're not concluded until a
late hour. The Judge then announced that
owing to the large amount of unfinished
work he would take the case under advise
ment and render verdict next Monday
morning. In the meantime the white and
colored children are attending the separate
schools us usual and no attempts have 1een
made to force the mixing of races. If the
Judges decision be in favor of the colored
people nearly all the white children in town
will leave the public schools. In fact it is
very clear that the Board of Education,
strongly Republican as it is, will resist what
they consider the unreasonable demands OF
the blacks, if there is any possible way to do
So 1t is thought, however, that they will
be unable to do SO, as the Supreme Court of
Kansas in the twenty-sixth Kansas reports,
have decided that cities of the second class,
without enabling legislation, can not ex-
clude children from the common schools
simply on account of race or color.
The decision of the court is awaited with
interest, as it will create only dissatisfaction
in any event. IL the colored children are
not admitted it will increase their discomfort
while if they are the great body of The
whites will withdraw, and it is threatened
that the colored teachers in the colored
schools will be discharged.
The Tribune Democraticl is opposed tc
mixed schools as a matter of policy for the
benefit both of the whites and the blacks
and the Fort Scott Monitor Republican,
whose soul was terribly narrowed up over
the fact that the Legislature of Georgia was
opposed to the mixture of blacks and whites
in the schools of that State, is bitterly
opposed to the project of mixing them il
Fort Scott, Kan, sauce for the Georgia
goose, with the Monitor, not being sauce
for the Kansas gander. In fact, the entire
white population of Fort Scott is almost un
animous, regardless of politics, in opposing
the co-education of the races in the schools